Halloween Ghosts: Pumpkins Muffins with Crumble Topping

Happy Halloween!!
Today, my husband has "goodie day" at his work. I was undecided about what to make, and he had no suggestions. Previously, I had made these "ghosts" and they were screaming to come off the cupboard shelf and be used. They are a simple way to make any goodie festive with today's holiday. I glued 2 plastic craft eyes onto a Texas sized muffin paper, made my muffins, and put them in their costume. Be proactive, and make it a great day!

Pumpkins Muffins with Crumble Topping

1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
3/8 tsp. ground gloves
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
3 T soft butter

I lazily toss dry ingredients and then add the wet. As a muffin, don’t over mix.
Bake them at 350 degrees. Time depends on size of baking cup. I prefer Texas size muffins.
Variations:
Mom always added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 6 oz. chocolate chips, omitting the cloves. Then she would glaze the cooled bread with a clove infused powdered sugar glaze.
I often substitute some whole wheat flour, scant the cup of sugar, use skim milk instead of buttermilk, and skip the nuts and chocolate inside. This way, I feel okay about having two!

I do like to pretty it up with a simple crumble on top:
1T cold butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup oatmeal.
I pulse it in the Cusinart for a bit and throw in a few tablespoons of mini chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Mix-Bake-Share

Blueberry Muffins

(Continued journal entry from a year ago- January 2010)
“Saturday night, I found some time and space alone outside for awhile. I surveyed the beautifully bright stars and began to speak with God. I told Him I would do my best to be strong. I asked Him if He was going to take B early from our family. I told Him I would understand why He would want him. I know B would be a valiant worker on the other side of things in continuing God’s work. I told Him that I would love to have B’s stay with us extended, but would understand why He may have a different course laid out for him. I felt peace and love-- for the short term- and the long term.” (To be continued)

Understanding God’s work and our role in it is an intriguing thought and at times a seemingly long suffering task. I can identify times where I was faithful in serving as God needed me too, and many times where I was somewhat sluggish in my opportunities.
In chatting with my sister about this recently, I recognized that in sluggish times, most of the time what was expected of me or the opportunity before me wasn’t really that hard. And yet, my attitude would be far from where it was a year ago on that cold January night. Often times, when my slothfulness results in subpar service, I ease my guilt by heading to my kitchen. Somehow, if I can’t completely step up, I feel a little less guilty if I bake something for someone. Sometimes the treat is meant to say-
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ll try harder next time.” or
“Thinking of you.”
I used to always make chocolate chip cookies- for anyone or any occasion. Some days, I put forth a little more effort bake something especially for the recipient. I am not a big fan of blueberries, but a year ago, I learned that my across the street neighbor is. I practiced and experimented with a few recipes and recently baked him a batch of blueberry muffins.

Blueberry Muffins
½ cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
2 cups blueberries

Cream butter with sugar. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add all of the dry ingredients. Slowly add milk as you mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Sprinkle with Butter Streusel and bake at 350 degrees 15-18 minutes, or until done.

Butter Streusel
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
¼ cup cold butter
½ tsp. cinnamon
Cut all ingredients together until crumbly.


I rescently heard, "If you want to discover yourself, loose yourself in the service of others." There is an extra good feeling when I put forth the extra effort and serve with a little deeper meaning, a lighter heart, and an eye single to the Lord’s will. Much more often, I’d like to be able to say "I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord, I’ll do what you want me to do.”

Cobblestone Muffins

New snow fell this morning. We live in a region where we don't typically get very much, so the kids were constantly happily distracted during “family cleaning" with the activity going on outside
A week into this snow coverage, I'm feeling a little trapped in my home. So I try to distract myself with a new idea in the kitchen. Much of what I bake is inspired by something I've seen or tasted before.
A trip to Seattle means a stop at Panera Bread. I always want one of everything, but am content with a french toast bagel. Last time, my husband ordered a cobblestone muffin. Today I attempted to copy the idea for a sledding snack.

Cobblestone Muffins

Make your favorite biscuit recipe, or use refrigerated, or defrost frozen ones. My favorites are Schwann’s Country Biscuits.
Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 1/2 inch squares. Give each piece a light squeeze to form it into an irregular rounded shape. Dip in melted butter then roll into a mixture of:
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. Cinnamon
Fill each muffin cup heaping full and bake at 350 degrees. Time depends on size. Let cool somewhat before drizzling with glaze.

Winters in the town I grew up in Iowa were very harsh. When it snowed, it was often measured in feet, not inches. Oft times, I was the daughter selected to go out and help my Dad shovel the walks. As winter skies darken in late afternoon, by the time dad returned from work, the light from the street lamp reflected on the snow to give a strange luminating light to the task. The sounds of the shovel scraping the sidewalk and Dad’s breath as he worked hard and quick became sounds of comfort to me. I remember a particular evening that Dad had assigned me to help shovel the walks. I was eight years old, short and scrawny. There had been at least a foot and a half of new snow that day. As I tried to walk down the front steps to the sidewalk, trying to catch up to Dad, I could barely move. Every time I put my foot down, it sank up past my knee in the fresh snow. My Dad kept turning around and calling for me to catch up. I was trying to be tough (certainly a trait I was known for) and move quickly towards Dad; but I was truly having a tough time moving at all. I began to get frustrated and tears fell down my cheeks. Dad turned around again to call to me, and saw me crying. He came back to where I was struggling in the snow and pointed to his footsteps. He told me that if I walked in his footsteps, I wouldn’t get stuck. He had paved the way with his larger boot. We were both headed to the same place and all I needed to do was follow him. And I did. Not just in the snow that night, but throughout my life, I’ve recognized that when I follow in the wisdom that has gone before me, I have found peace, safety joy, and even a few smiles from the contents of the oven.